Baked Sour Cream Cheesecake

Made for our beautiful friends, Elyse & Drew.

It went down a treat after an amazing dinner cooked by Drew and a tasty bottle of red...and white.

Nothing better than good food, good friends...and the football.

Recipe

Chocolate Ganache and Raspberry Cake

Here's to my Dad who I love very much.

Happy 63rd Birthday xxx

Recipe

Vanilla Bean and Raspberry Swirl Friands

happy birthday ben!

For the recipe
- just get a basic plain cake mix.... and add the seeds of a vanilla bean..
- make a second batch and add lots of raspberries mashed up.
- Spoon vanilla mixture into pan...then swirl through a spoon full of the raspberry mix.
and Bob's your Uncle!

Lime, Coconut & Raspberry Cake

Having the amazing boy that I do, I'm constantly getting roses.... he spoils me rotten.

It seems such a waste to watch them die and drop petals everywhere before you throw them out.

 I saw this recipe in a magazine once which uses dried roses as the decoration. 

You can eat them as part of the cake...if you're weird.

(Note: the petals have to be frosted the day before and left out to dry overnight - It's not really the kind of cake you can just whip up).

I made it for my housemate Ami, so AMI YOU MUST EAT IT!

I can't actually tell you if it tastes any good, because I'm on a no sugar diet for the next 2 weeks.

and therefore you will need to assume it is amazing. The Lime is a giveaway anyway.

Can't go wrong with Lime!

Method...
THE DAY BEFORE - Find some roses (or ask your significant other for some). Dip them in egg white and dust with sugar. You can also frost the petals individually like I have. Leave overnight to dry.

- Preheat over to 180oC. Grease 22cm cake tin and line with baking paper.
- Combine 1 1/3 cups SR flour, 1/4 cup plain flour, 1/2 cup desiccated coconut, 2 tabs lime rind, 1/2 cup lime juice and 2 tsp vanilla in a bowl.
- Beat 180g butter and 1 cup sugar in a bowl until creamy. Add 4 eggs one at a time.
- Combine with flour mixture until smooth.
- Spoon into pan and cook for 50mins.
- Leave to cool and cut into three even layers.
- Beat 250g butter and 265g icing sugar together until creamy.
- Gradually beat in melted white chocolate (250g)
- Take one third of the icing and leave aside.
- Add 125g raspberries to remaining two thirds and beat until crushed.
- Place raspberry icing between bottom and middle layer, and also middle and top layer.
- Place reserved icing on top and decorate with frosted roses.

Chocolate Cuppies

I have to admit that I have an obsession with cupcake cases and wrappers.

I've recently found this website and I've been going nuts! As well as drooling over Robert Gordon's designs as well. I normally find cupcakes boring but a cute wrapper can somehow make them look adorable.

I made these last night for Nev & Shaz. My future in-laws.

(Reminder for Dave: Please don't forget to get them out of the back of your car...they...will...melt)

Here is Dave doing a sterling effort...just needed to clarify it was Dave before you started thinking my hands looked manly.

The red candy love hearts are from Robert's Confectionery. They have a stall at the Newcastle Markets every Sunday. They. taste. amazing.

Two cases per cupcake ensures no oil stains. I HATE OIL STAINS.

The recipe is just a basic chocolate fudge recipe, nothing fancy.